The present invention is directed to an impact cradle for supporting a moving conveyor belt in the load zone of a conveyor, and in particular to an impact cradle having pivotally adjustable wing cushion support members adapted to conform to the configuration of the conveyor belt.
Impact cradles are located underneath the material carrying run of a moving conveyor belt in the load zone of a conveyor where material is loaded onto the conveyor belt. The impact cradle absorbs the impact force created by material falling onto the moving conveyor belt and prevents the belt from sagging and stretching between idler rollers which rotatably support the moving conveyor belt. Impact cradles also assist in maintaining the edges of the conveyor belt in contact with skirt boards to prevent material from flowing over the edge of the belt and to keep the dispersion of dust to a minimum. Impact cradles improve the containment of dust in the load zone of a conveyor and reduce impact damage to the conveyor belt. Idler rollers are positioned adjacent to the impact cradle. The idler rollers rotatably support the moving conveyor belt and typically form the belt into a trough-shaped cross-section such that the conveyor belt has inclined edge portions. Pursuant to CEMA standards, the inclined edge portions of troughed conveyor belts are inclined at an angle of either twenty degrees, thirty-five degrees or forty-five degrees. It has been found desirable to provide an impact cradle that can be used with a conveyor belt having any of these three trough angles.
An impact cradle for supporting a moving conveyor belt. The impact cradle includes one or more support structures. Each support structure includes an elongate support member having a first end and a second end, a first wing cushion support member and a second wing cushion support member. The first wing cushion support member includes a first end including a first aperture, a second aperture and a third aperture, and a second end including a fourth aperture, a fifth aperture and a sixth aperture. The first aperture and the fourth aperture are counterpart apertures spaced apart a selected distance. The second aperture and the fifth aperture are counterpart apertures spaced apart the same selected distance, and the third aperture and the sixth aperture are counterpart apertures spaced apart the same selected distance. A first fastener is inserted through a selected one of the first aperture, second aperture and third aperture to connect the first end of the first wing cushion support member to the support member. A second fastener is inserted through the fourth aperture, fifth aperture or sixth aperture, whichever is the counterpart to the selected aperture through which the first fastener is inserted. The second fastener connects the second end of the first wing cushion support member to the support member. When the first and second fasteners are inserted respectively through the first and fourth apertures, the first wing cushion support member is disposed at a first inclined angle with respect to the support member. When the first and second fasteners are inserted respectively through the second aperture and the fifth aperture the first wing cushion support member is disposed at a second inclined angle with respect to the support member. When the first and second apertures are inserted respectively through the third aperture and the sixth aperture the first wing cushion support member is disposed at a third inclined angle with respect to the support member. One or more impact bars are connected to the first wing cushion support member for supporting the moving conveyor belt. The second wing cushion support member is constructed in the same manner as the first wing cushion support member and is selectively connected to the support member in the same manner as the first wing cushion support member.
The impact cradle may include a first adjustment member that connects the first end of the first wing cushion support member to the support member. The first adjustment member is selectively rotatable about a first axis and includes a bore adapted to receive the first fastener. The bore of the first adjustment member includes a second axis that is offset from and generally parallel to the first axis of the adjustment member. Selective rotation of the first adjustment member about the first axis selectively increases or decreases the angle at which the first wing cushion support member is inclined with respect to the support member. A second adjustment member similarly connects the first end of the second wing cushion support member to the support member. The first and second wing cushion support members may thereby be selectively positioned at the desired inclined angle with respect to the support member to align with the inclined edge portions of the conveyor belt.